Banana Pudding, Precious edition

Yesterday I posted that I successfully made my grandma's homemade banana pudding and several people asked for the recipe, so here it is!  We call my grandma Precious because that's what the oldest grandchild called her so that's her name.  But it's not actually her name.  Her name is Jeretta which gets a gold star for originality.  I won't tell you her middle name because it's just way to original and it would blow your mind.

I love this pudding.  Well, my dad loves this pudding and I love that he loves it.  In elementary school I wrote a story about one Thanksgiving when little Bobby (my dad) showed up for Thanksgiving and there was no banana pudding.  It was a tragedy, as you can tell.  Never mind that Precious is my dad's mother-in-law so her banana pudding was NEVER at my dad's childhood Thanksgivings.  S loves it too and he was the one who requested it.

I didn't take any pictures (we were too busy eating) but let me assure you, my presentation was immaculate.  I dished it into individual servings in antique goblets.  I'm not exaggerating, that is actually how we partook of the pudding.  Here, this is the goblet.

Here are two versions of the original recipe.  You will notice some inconsistencies in the first one.  You might also notice that when you try to add flour to the milk mixture, it clumps up miserably and you have to start over.  Precious says she mixes the flour and sugar together before adding it to the warm milk, this might solve the problem.  I solved the problem by making a roux with the butter and flour and then adding the milk which seemed to work out just fine.  So, the second version is how I made the pudding this time along with my mom's recollections of how she watched her mom make the pudding.  Next time I'll try the flour/sugar blending method.  Also, Precious always doubles this recipe to have enough for more than four people.


PRECIOUS'S BANANA PUDDING - Original Recipe

6 Tbsp butter or margarine
2/3 c. flour (or a cornstarch/water mixture for thickening)
3 c. milk
2/3 c. sugar
3 eggs, separated, beat egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
3 bananas, sliced
Nilla Wafers

*This isn't in the recipe but you have to keep stirring all the time so the milk won't get filmy and the bottom won't get burned!*

Use a nonstick skillet (large) or pot.  Heat milk.  Blend sugar and flour and add to milk, stirring to blend.  Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring with a spatula or whisk.  Pour some of the warm milk mixture into the beaten egg yolks, then cook altogether 2 more minutes.  Add vanilla and 1 tbsp. of butter.

PRECIOUS'S BANANA PUDDING - What I actually did

(same ingredients)

Melt 5 tbsp. of butter in a nonstick skillet or pot.  Mix in flour, it will ball up in clumps.  Add milk and stir with a whisk until all of the flour mixture has dissolved.  Stir until milk is heated and add sugar.  Cook over low heat, stirring until thickened.  Slowly stir in at least 1/2 c. of the warm milk mixture into the beaten egg yolks and then slowly add the eggs, stirring constantly (this keeps the eggs from scrambling when you add them to the warm pudding).  Stir and cook for 2 minutes.  Add vanilla and the remaining tbsp. of butter.  Stir until blended.  Remove from heat.  Create a cool bath in a large pan or the sink and place pot in the cool water.  Stir while pudding cools to maintain consistency.  Once pudding has cooled, mix in the banana slices.  Layer pudding and Nilla Wafers in a large bowl or individual serving cups and refrigerator until cold.

Enjoy!